Just saw this new offering by Netflix: Mending the Line. It's exceptionally well done. A Marine Corp sergeant is wounded in combat while on his team's last deployment before returning home from Afghanistan. Several of those serving under him are wounded or killed, including his closest friend. To recuperate from his mental, emotional, and physical wounds, he's sent to a VA hospital in Montana, where his MD suggests he get together with a local USMC (Vietnam era) vet that can teach him how to fly fish. The older vet has his own physical and emotional issues too, but has found a degree of peace by seeking solace in the pursuit of trout in the local river.

Beautifully written, filmed, and acted, this movie hits on a number of issues beyond those who served and were injured by physical trauma and PTSD. It examines how all of us can and probably will be exposed directly and indirectly to terrible losses, how those effected can cope in their own ways and the limitations of what their loved ones can do for them. It's a beautiful story and I highly recommend it, but you might want to keep some tissues handy.

Just watched the trailer looks good and I added it to my watch list.

Very good, and I ordered the book featured in the movie; it arrives today.

I enjoyed it but didn't follow the outcome of a few things.

And the karate kid moment was a little elusive in terms of its relevance and need.

Poignant movie. And made we want to try fly fishing.

Looking forward to watching it. I have done some work with Casting for Recovery (breast cancer) and want to get involved with Project Healing Waters (vets). Fly fishing can have a huge positive impact.

Watched it last night and had to think on this one awhile. It was no A River Runs Through It, I'll just say that up front.

While the story was a good one in the whole, it didn't flow well as there were too many missing parts and a lack of plot development and character development. Examples: A black guy in Livingston (way out of place to begin with, but that's another issue entirely) goes from knowing nothing about fly fishing to being able to tie mayflies from larval to emergent to adult stages and knowing when and how to fish them in the span of about five minutes. Second, the "relationsip" between Lucy and Colter goes from essentially having a picnic together to Lucy saying, "I don't know what this is that we have"(paraphrasing). It just took too big of leaps in the plot IMO and could have been developed much better. It seemed a bit amateurish in this regard.

On the plus side, excellent scenery (I've fished that stretch of Gallatin Canyon many times), and excellent acting despite miscasting (no pun intended) Colter for obvious reasons. He's a great actor and played the part very well, he was just too out of place here. A little woke-ism perhaps? It seems everything has to have a biracial or gay couple nowadays.

All in all, it's a decent watch and worth an hour or two of your time. I give it a strong 6/10.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
All in all, it's a decent watch and worth an hour or two of your time. I give it a strong 6/10.

I watched this yesterday too based on the OP's recommendation. I wasn't going to give a review because I didn't want to be critical. Your conclusion sums it up very well, and your rating--as I was watching it, I was thinking 2.5/4 stars, which is right in line with you. I kept thinking Hallmark movie, which doesn't necessarily mean bad.

I was really annoyed with the female doctor. It might have been the actress or the writing for her part, but she was irritating.

The best part of the movie for me was the voice-over at the end. It was a really good advice. Something similar occurred to me as I watched the movie. Activities like fly-fishing will never be a cure-all for what's going on in our lives. They shouldn't be merely an escape from reality.

I view this as an inspirational movie.
Another one was Seven Days in Utopia .
Enjoyed both of them.